Abstract: A chopping machine chops strands of thermoplastic material coming from a single die into sections having a predetermined length. The machine has a substantially cylindrical chopping wheel provided on its periphery with a number of uniformly distributed blades oriented about an axis of rotation. An anvil wheel wrapped in a plastic material is located adjacent the chopping wheel. The anvil wheel has a device for routing strands between the wheels, thereby drawing out and chopping the strands into sections. The device has two or more pins that project laterally from a face of the anvil wheel. The pins may be movable with respect to the face. A restart process using the chopping machine is also provided.

Abstract: A method for preparing glass strand pellets by stirring chopped glass strands in the presence of 10 to 25% of water, the strands being sized with a size containing an organosilane. The method performs stirring for long enough for an increase in density to be at least 67%, the stirring being performed using a single stirring equipment that at each instant imparts to the strands or forming pellets it contains the same stirring frequency, the pellets finally formed containing, after drying, at least 95 wt % glass. A film-forming agent is in contact with the glass strands during the stirring at the latest.

Abstract: A method for preparing glass strand pellets by stirring chopped glass strands in the presence of 10 to 25% of water, the strands being sized with a size containing an organosilane. The method performs stirring for long enough for an increase in density to be at least 67%, the stirring being performed using a single stirring equipment that at each instant imparts to the strands or forming pellets it contains the same stirring frequency, the pellets finally formed containing, after drying, at least 95 wt % glass. A film-forming agent is in contact with the glass strands during the stirring at the latest.